Can filler and conveyor



w. T. JOHNSON LCAN FILLER AND CONVEYOR March 31, 1959 Filed June 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

WALTER T. JOHNSON ATTORNEY .March 31, 1959 w. T. JOHNSON 1 cm mum AND CONVEYOR Filed June 1a, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR. WALTER T. JOHNSON ATTORNEY -Mar ch 31, 1959 w. 1r. JOHNSON 2,879,812

7 CAN FILLERVANDICONVEYOR -Filed June 18, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 eaA INV EN TOR.

WALTER I: JOHNSON 88 a V y.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,879,812 CAN FILLER AND CONVEYOR Walter T. Johnson, Portland, Oreg. Application June 18, 1956, Serial No. 591,973

1 Claim. (Cl. 141-172) This invention relates to can fillers and conveyors, and is particularly adapted to fill and convey milk cans.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a filler that will operate continuously for filling cans with a measured amount of contents, and to convey said cans to and from the filling means.

This new and improved structure is adapted to receive empty cans, raise the cans up under a filling nozzle, holding the same there until filled, after which they will automatically be lowered and moved on to a receiving station, thus completing the cycle of operation.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of this new and improved structure, illustrating milk cans raised under a filling device and being filled.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1 showing the milk cans in lowered position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the filling machine, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 4, showing the elevating platform in raised position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device, partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 5 is an end sectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view, taken on line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatical layout of the air operating mechanism, including the electric circuit associated therewith.

Figure 8 illustrates the valve associated with the horizontal movement of the cans, shown in opposite position to that shown in the diagram of Figure 7.

Figure 9 shows the valve associated with the can elevator mechanism in the opposite position than that illustrated in Figure 7.

' Now with more detailed reference to the drawings. Numerals 15 and 16 indicate supporting legs connected together by cross frames 17 and 18. The supporting legs 16 are bridged and held apart by the cross frames 18, while the end legs 15 are spaced apart by the cross frames 17, and all supporting legs are connected together by the frame members 16A and 16B.

Horizontally disposed beams or frames 19 are secured to the cross members 17 and 18 by any suitable means, preferably by welding. Extending upwardly from the cross members 17 are transverse end members 20, which are welded or otherwise affixed to the upper ends of the legs 17.

Secured between these members and running longitudinally thereof are rails 21 and 22. The rails 22 extend only part way across the machine to the point 23, their inner ends being supported by the cross members 18 by way of the legs 22A, while milk cans M are adapted to be supported upon the rails 21 and 22.

. A feeding rack assembly .R is adapted to feed the cans Patented Mar. 31, 19 59 disposed bars 26, connected together at their ends by the cross members 26A. These bars are also adapted to be supported upon the trunnion wheels 27, which are journalled to shafts 28; said shafts being aflixed to horizontal beams 19 by welding or other suitable means.

Disposed midway between the ends of the machine is a can elevator assembly E, having a special platform 29 consisting of longitudinally disposed bars 30 and 30A. The object of constructing the platform in this manner is to be able to raise the same up and down through the rails 21 and bars 26 for purposes to be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Fluid cylinders 31 are fixedly secured to the underside of the center bar 30A of the platform and are adapted to be supported on their piston rods 32, which in turn are supported on the cross frame 33 which bridges between the transverse frames 18, as best illustrated in Figures 3 alofigthe said rails. This rack consists of two parallelly and 6.

Extending downwardly from the platform bar 30A are hangers 34, which terminate at the lower ends in a cross member 35. This cross member is adapted to supportthe legs 36, which in turn support the platform bars 30, thus forming a space 37 between the bars 30 and the bars 30A so as to straddle the rails 21 and bars 26 in the raising and lowering of the platform.

The rack assembly R is moved, as viewing the drawings, from the right to the left, and back again by the fluid cylinder 38, referring to Figures 4 and 5. One end of this cylinder is pivotally mounted to the bracket 39, which is fixedly secured to the beam 19 at 40, its piston rod 41 is fixedly secured to the bracket 42, which in turn is fixedly secured to the bars 26 of the rack assembly R at 43.

In the operation of this fluid cylinder, the rack, as stated above, is moved along over the trunnion wheels 27 from one end of the machine to the other, Whose operation will be later described.

Pivotally journalled to each of the bars 26 are dogs 44, which normally rest in the position shown due to their counterweighted ends 45. These dogs bear against the can moving the same forward with the rack, releasing from the can on the back stroke of the rack, leaving the cans resting on the rails 21 and 22 and the platform 29 of the elevator E.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 particularly, the liquid or milk hopper is indicated by numeral 46, having can filling nozzles 47 of well known structure, the tip 48 when pushed upwardly within the nozzle against the spring 49 will open a valve therein permitting the liquid to flow from the nozzles; therefore when the tips 48 are contacted by the upper necks 50 of the cans M they will open the valves within the nozzles, this being caused by the raising of the elevator E bringing the cans in contact therewith.

' Referring to Figures 7, 8 and 9, the cylinder 38 receives its operating air supply from a special valve 51. This valve receives its air supply from the main supply line 52 by way of the pipe 53. The vertically disposed fluid cylinders 31 receive their air supply from the valve 54 by way of thepipe line 55. The valve 54 receives its air supply from the main line 52 by way of the pipe The valves 51 and 54 have fluid pistons 57 operating therein. The position of these pistons are controlledin the following manner. Relatively small air feeder pipes 58 deliver air into the valve cylinder on either end of the pistons at all times causing an equal pressure on the said ends of the valve piston. The ends 59 and 59A of the valves communicate with one another by the pipe 60. This pipe has a bleeder valve 61 adapted to be opened by the movement of the said rack assembly R in the operation of the machine, to be described more fully later.

When this valve opens it releases the pressure of air existing within the ends 59 and 59A of the valves more quickly; then air can come in through the feed lines 58, in which case the valve piston 57 will be moved towards the reduced air pressure by the air pressure existing in its opposite end. The air can be released from the end 62 of the valve 51 by the bleeder line 63 by opening the bleeder valve 64. This valve is opened by the downward movement of the elevator E. Air can be released from the end 65 of the valve 54 by way of the hand operated valve 66, or by way of the magnetically operted valve 67.

The magnetically operated valve 67 is opened by the pneumatic timing relays 68 and 68A. These timers are controlled by limit switches 69 and 69A. The switch 69 is adapted to be operated by the end 26A in the forward movement of the rack R, while the switch 69A is adapted to be operated by the upward movement of the elevator E by way of the cam 69B, referring to Figures 4 and 7.

The mode of operation of this structure will now be described. When the machine is at rest and ready to be started, the elevator will be in lowered position, the piston rod 41 will be in the position shown in Figures 4 and 7. The bleeder valve 64 is held open by the finger 38A. This will position the floating piston 57 of the valve 51 in the position in Figure 8.

When the supply valve 52A is opened, this will cause air to pass from the supply line 52 into the pipe 53, through the valve 51 into the pipe line 71, which will force the piston rod 41 to the left, moving the rack R towards the elevator positioning the cans 76 on to the platform 29. The end 26A of the rack R will contact the bleeder valve 61. This will move the piston 57 in the valves 51 and 54 to the position shown in Figure 7 from the position shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Two things will now happen, the rack R will be returned to the right to starting position and the elevator E will be raised. The rack R is returned by air being delivered from the pipe 53 through the valve 51 into the line 90, forcing the piston rod 41 to the right and exhausting the air in the opposite end of the cylinder out through the pipes 71 through the valve 51 into the atmosphere, by way of the adjustable air discharge unit 71A. At the same time the feeding rack is returned to starting position the elevator E will be raised in the following manner.

Air will pass into the pipe line 55 from the valve 54 from the pipe 56 raising the elevator to its raised position, lifting the cans 77 to the position shown in Figure 1, in contact with the nozzles 47 of the supply tank 46. The springs 49 and the nozzles 48 will overcome the upward movement of the elevator stopping the same in its travel, as only a limited amount of pressure is brought to bear within the cylinders 31.

When the end 26A of the rack R contacts the bleeder valve 61, it also contacts the limit switch 69 which causes the following action to take place, referring particularly to Figure 7. The switch bar 78 is moved to the full line position, breaking the electric circuit through the line 79. switch bar 78, line 80, coil 81 of the pneumatic switch 68.

The pneumatic switch 68 is what is known as a retarded timing switch. When the coil 81 is demagnetized, the switch is designed to open the contacts 91 and close the contacts 82 after a given period of time has elapsed. When the switch 68 has run its adjusted period of time for filling the cans 77 the electrical terminals 82 will be closed.

When small cans are to be filled the pneumatic timing relay 68A will be started in operation simultaneously with the pneumatic timing relay 68. The relay 68A is set to run a lesser period of time than is the case with the relay 68, therefore when the relay 68 completes its given period a circuit can be completed through the magnetic valve 67 causing the elevator E to be lowered in the following manner.

When small cans are being filled, as illustrated in the drawings, the elevator will be raised to its uppermost position, causing the cam 69B to open the switch 69A, breaking the circuit through coil 83 of the pneumatic timing switch 68A, causing the contacts 74 to close after an elapsed period of time.

The pneumatic timing relay 68A operates for a lesser period of time than the relay 68, therefore it will close the contacts 74 before the contacts 82 are closed. When the contacts 82 close electrical energy will flow from the main line 84, through the conductor 85, contact 74, condoctor 86, contacts 82 through the magnetic valve 67, conductor 87, conductor 87A, switch bar 78, conductor 80 back to the main line 88, causing piston 57 of valve 54 to move to the position shown in Figure 9.

v This will bleed the cylinders 31 of the elevator E through the line 55 and through the valve 54 to the atmosphere by way of the exhaust 89, allowing the elevator E to lower.

When this happens the finger 38A of the elevator will contact the bleeder valve 64, which will reduce the air pressure within the end 62 of the valve 51, allowing its piston to move to the position shown in Figure 8, supplying air from the line 53 through the valve into the line 71, forcing the piston rod 41 to the left, together with the rack R, moving the filled cans 77 from the platform 29 to the delivery station on the left of the machine and bringing on to the platform 29 additional empty cans 76 ready to be raised to filling position, starting another cycle of filling operation.

When large cans are to be filled, the relays 68A will come into operation after the relay 68 has run its period of time, and when the added period of time afforded by the relay 68A has been completed, at this time the magnetic valve 67 will be opened to accommodate the filling of larger cans of milk.

When large cans are to be filled, the elevator will not rise to its full height, therefore the limit switch 69A will remain closed. When the pneumatic switch 68 is set into operation, electric energy will travel through the contacts 91, through the switch 69A, through the coil 83 of the relay 68A, preventing the contacts 74 from closing until the relay 68 has run its period of time, at which time the contacts 91 will be opened demagnetizing the coil 83 of the relay 68A, adding an additional period of time required to fill the larger cans under the nozzles 48.

When the relays 68A closes the contacts 74, which completes a circuit through the contacts 82 and the magnetic valve 67, opening said valve and causing the piston 57 of the valve 54 to move to the position shown in Figure 9 the elevator E is lowered, which in turn opens the bleeder valve 64, causing the piston 57 of valve 51 to move from the position shown in Figure 7 to that shown in Figure 8, thus moving the rack forward to release the filled cans from the elevator and moving two additional empty cans thereon starting a new cycle of operation filling the two new cans.

While this invention has been described in detail and with specific illustrations, it is understood that other modifications in construction and arrangement of parts may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present embodiment is illustrative but not restrictive, since the scope and purview of the invention is indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description.

Having thus fully illustrated and described an embodiment of the invention and a method of producing the same, in a manner that may enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a conventional milk supply hop per having nozzles and valves afiixed thereto, of a can filler comprising side frames, cross members connecting said side frames, rails adapter. to support milk cans affixed in longitudinal relation with said side frames, a reciprocally operable rack to feed cans along said rails, beams attached to the frames, wheels supporting said rack journaled on said beams, a pneumatic cylinder to reciprocate said rack supported in the frame, an elevator vertically movable in said frames to raise and lower milk cans to predetermined planes, additional pneumatic cylinders affixed to the underside of said elevator, piston rods supported by the frames and operating within said cylinders to raise and lower the elevator, means to convey air to the piston rods, two timing relays which operate parallel to each other to determine the required time smaller cans are held under the hopper, and which operate consecutively to control the greater period of time required to fill larger cans, mechanically controlled switches to open ate said relays, and means to convey the filled cans to a receiving station and simultaneously deliver unfilled cans to the elevator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,109,075 Lange Sept. 1, 1914 1,179,372 Hendrickson Apr. 11, 1916 1,187,003 Metcalf et a1 June 13, 1916 1,289,973 Valerius et a1 Dec. 31, 1918 1,401,401 Hartman Dec. 27, 1921 1,857,915 Kirshner May 10, 1932 2,645,171 Moreland July 14, 1953 2,723,069 Stanhouse et al Nov. 8, 1955 2,772,705 Anderson Dec. 4, 1956 

